Corrupted Heart
by Crimson Ice Flame
Summary: A girl by the name of Ashley Young only has about four to six more months, if that, to live before her heart defect gets the better of her and takes her life, but when a fallen angel by the name of Yusei Fudo is sent to watch over her, will his love for the dying teen be enough to save her life and spare her the horrible fate of death? Rated M for Lemon. Yusei/OC pairing.
1. A Heart

**Crimson Ice Flame: Hey there, guys! I know it's been a while, but this story is going to be a remake of "Hope," the story Sister of the Pharaoh had asked me to write forever and a day ago, but this time, we're gonna have a nice little twist to the story! I hope you guys enjoy the changes I've made and how I'm going to be writing this brand new version of "Hope." Enjoy!**

"Talking"

"_Whispering/Mumbling_"

_Thinking_

**_Sound Effects_**

* * *

A teenager walked through the double door of New Domino General Hospital, waving back to someone as she exited. She was very beautiful, with long, vibrant, crimson red hair, emerald green eyes shining behind her thick bangs. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans; a black top, the sleeves stopping just past her elbows; a thin, floral scarf; a pair of brown, knee high boots; and a silver cross around her neck, tucked into her shirt. She held onto the strap of her bag on her shoulder as she head down the sidewalk, making her way toward her high school, New Domino High. This girl's name was Ashley Young, age seventeen. She walked down the sidewalk for a little bit, but when she was finally far enough away from the hospital, the teen pulled her cellphone out from her bag, glancing at the time, that was nearing 7:30. It was 7:22, so she had about eight minutes to get there before the first warning bell, if she ran, and that's exactly what she did. Ashley booked it down the sidewalk as fast as she could, the school finally coming into her line of view. It was then she noticed two people waving and smiling at her, Ashley waving back. When she got close to her two best friends though, the redhead stopped, panting hard. She leaned over, gripping her chest that started to ache, her two friends rushing over to her.

"Hey, Ash, are you okay?" The girl with long, charcoal black hair asked worriedly, a pair of thick, coke bottle framed glasses on her petite face.

"You know you're not supposed to do any strenuous exercise." The girl with short, deep red hair said, a metal curler in the front of her hair with two longer pieces hanging down to frame her face.

"I know, but..." Ashley panted. "I...had to. Running late... Tests...took longer than...they thought." She said through her heavy breathing.

It took a couple minutes, but the pain in Ashley's chest finally subsided as she stood up straight again, giving a low sigh. "Sorry, guys, but I had to run to make it here in time... The tests we did this morning ran a little longer than they anticipated..."

"And if you're not careful, you could do some serious damage." The girl with deep red hair scolded.

"I know, Akiza, but at this point, it's not like I'm doing anything that isn't already there..." Ashley replied.

"Even so, you really should be more careful."

"You guys don't need to scold me, Carly, I already know the stakes I'm faced with. And besides, it's not like they've found a new heart for me anyway..."

"Don't get discouraged, Ashley. I'm sure they'll be able to find one soon." Akiza tried to encourage.

_Maybe so, but that becomes a bit more difficult when I know I don't have much time left to live..._ Ashley silently thought.

Ashley's two best friends were named Carly Carmine and Akiza Izinski, who she has known since they were all children. Carly had semi-long charcoal black hair with steel grey eyes, a pair of circular glasses propped on her small nose. She was always more quirky and full of energy compared to Ashley's calmer and more tame demeanor. Carly has always tried her best to help give Ashley hope and make everything more positive, trying to look on the brighter side of things. Carly had always been interested in photography and wanting to see others happy, and it was this belief that has caused her to become such a positive ray of sunshine, especially to Ashley. True, Carly may have her faults, such as her clumsiness, and she can get very flustered easily, but even through that, Carly still manages to smile. He bright and innocent smile is what helps give Ashley hope, something that she refuses to let go of, no matter how hard things become. Now, as for Akiza, she had short, deep red, almost maroon colored hair with a metal curler on the top to hold her bangs back as two longer pieces hung down on either side of her face, framing her hazel eyes. Akiza was always the mitigatory, or the person who tries to make a bad situation less severe or painful. Akiza didn't used to be that way though, she used to be very cold towards others just because she was different, and always got picked on because of that. However, when she got to know Ashley, things gradually had begun to change. Akiza had opened up more, and learned what it meant to have friends that cared for her. It was because of this that Akiza was able to learn how to stay calm and learn to care for others, something she hadn't been shown before. Through all of this, the three girls have known each other since they were little and have become aware of Ashley's heart condition. They have been trying their best to encourage her so that she won't lose hope, knowing that she doesn't have much longer to live. Ashley's heart condition has worsened over the years, that much is certain, making it more and more difficult for her to function normally, which is why she is constantly in and out of the hospital in case she experiences unexpected heart failure or any kind of complications. This condition is exactly why Ashley is hoping the find a new heart, and hopefully soon, especially considering the limited time she has left. Her only solace seems to be that she has people like Carly and Akiza that have kept her afloat in that sea of uncertainty and despair thus far. Carly is Ashley's shining ray of light, and Akiza is the shoulder she can lean on whenever things get to difficult for her, and so, Ashley holds onto that, holds onto that small sliver of hope that she has, praying that one day, something with finally happen...

"Oh, yeah! I just remembered something!" Carly suddenly spoke up, Ashley perking up a bit. "We're getting a new student today." She smiled.

"New student?" Ashley raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yes, I remember that now." Akiza said in agreement. "Although, I can't remember what his name is, but I've heard that he's the son of a really famous scientist involved with the Ener-D Reactor project and even owns his very own Duel Runner."

"A Duel Runner too? I thought you couldn't ride those without a license though, especially on campus?" Ashley commented.

"From what I hear, he does have one." Akiza added.

"And I also heard that he built the Duel Runner himself." Carly then said.

"Hmm... Okay, so he owns a Duel Runner and he's the son of a famous scientist involved in that Ener-D thing… Do we know anything else about him?"

The two thought for a moment. "Not that I can recall." Said Akiza.

"Hold on, I think I remember hearing something about him being a really good duelist." Carly cut in.

"Well, I guess that makes sense considering dueling is a big part of Duel Academy..." Ashley noted.

"If you didn't have your heart condition, you could probably join back with the riding team..." Akiza then said a bit sadly.

Ashley just waved it off. "Maybe one day I will be able to... For now though, I think I'll just stick with what I can do in automotives..."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you took that class too." Carly grinned.

"Well, she did build her own Duel Runner, after all." Akiza added.

"That was years ago, and my mother has prohibited me from riding it again until I can get a new heart, so it kinda just sits there now, collecting dust…" The redhead said a bit sadly. "But that doesn't stop me from trying to build a new engine for it, or maybe even a CP—"

_**Vrooom!**_

"Ugh?!" The three girls suddenly gasped when the sound of a motorcycle caught their ears.

They quickly turned toward the source as a red and white blur zipped past them before they were trampled by a hoard of other girls squealing and going nuts over that sound, obviously eager to meet this new student. However, as Ashley was being trampled on, she was being pushed both forwards and backwards, not even noticing a discarded skateboard behind her. She stepped on it with one foot, but instantly lost her balance, her foot slipping out from under her as she crashed to the ground, landing hard on her back with a loud _**'thud'**_ and audible grunt. However, just as she opened her eyes, Ashley noticed the skateboard she tripped on was sent skyward, heading straight down for her face. The redhead gasped and quickly crossed her arms over her face, slamming her eyes shut as she waited for the impact. She waited for a few long seconds, until nothing came... This confused Ashley, wondering why the skateboard hadn't hit her by now. Gravity was clearly a thing, so...why didn't it touchdown? Slowly, Ashley began to open her eyes only to see the skateboard only a few inches above her face before it was moved away, someone letting out a sigh.

"Well, that was a close one..." A semi-deep, but velvety voice said in relief

Ashley lowered her arms from her face as she pushed herself to sit up before turning to where the voice had come from. It was there that she couldn't stop the slight blush that covered her cheeks upon finding who the voice belonged to. He was relatively tall with dark, midnight black hair that had a few yellow streaks in it, followed by these deep, cerulean blue eyes that could stop anyone in their tracks. He was dressed in a black tank top with a red symbol on the front; dark blue jeans with a brown belt; matching brown boots; and a navy blue jacket. Something about this boy seemed rather off, but somehow, in a good way. That warm smile on his face seemed like it could brighten a room in an instant, and that voice of his: You could just melt the moment it touched your ears. Suddenly though, Ashley was pulled out of her trance when this stranger extended a hand out toward her.

"Are you alright?" The male asked kindly.

"U-uhh, yeah..." Ashley stammered over her words a bit before taking the boy's hand, helping the redhead back on her feet as she dusted herself off. "U-um, thank you..." She thanked, though bashfully.

"Don't mention it. You're not hurt, are you?"

Ashley shook her head. "No, I'm alright. I just slipped on a skateboard and landed on my back, but I'll be okay."

"Well, that's good to hear. Sorry for zipping past you like that, by the way... When I saw all those girls swarm you and your friends, I noticed you slip on that skateboard. I'm just glad I grabbed it before it could hit you."

Ashley grinned a bit shyly. "And again, thank you for that. I'm sure it would've hurt a lot had it really hit me..."

"Well, now that I know you're not hurt, you wouldn't mind if I asked for your name, would you?"

She suddenly blushed a bit. "Oh!" Ashley said in slight surprise. "It's Ashley, Ashley Young." She said almost immediately.

"Ashley, is it?" The raven let his name roll off his tongue. "It may be a somewhat common name, but it was derived from a surname and a place based on the old English word for "ash wood." In this case though, it could very well mean "lives in the ash tree grove," but I think it suits you quite nicely."

Ashley blushed again. "Oh, well, thank you... That's very kind of you to say..." She felt a bit shy for some reason, grinning shyly.

"And my name is Yusei Fudo."

"Yusei?" Ashley thought for a moment. "That's a pretty unique name, but in a way, it could mean either "planetary" or "bonds," almost like you can create links between you and the people you meet or who are around you, err, I mean, in a nutshell, that's what it could translate to. I think it suits your kind of style though, if I had to say." She said, though seeming a bit sheepish.

The male known as Yusei seemed to be a bit surprised by this. "Oh, I wasn't aware of that, actually... My father never really told me that my name actually meant something, but that's very interesting to know."

"I kinda stumbled upon it, and I guess it must've stuck somehow..."

The boy known as Yusei let out a soft chuckle at Ashley's sudden shy demeanor. "Well then, on that note, I should probably be on my way so that I can get my schedule for my classes, but it was nice to meet you, Ashley."

"You too, Yusei. If you ever need me to give you a tour around the school, just let me know and I'd be happy to help."

"Alright, well thank you for the offer. I hope to see you around." He then turned and went in the opposite direction.

Once out of earshot, Ashley let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding in, sighing a bit. _My heart... I didn't even notice that it was pounding so hard... And it feels like I've got butterflies in my stomach... Geez... I can't tell if I feel sick or embarrassed... _Ashley placed her hands against her burning cheeks. _I only just met him, and yet...my heart feels like it's floating. I feel so strange all of a sudden... Oh man, I'm turning into such a cliché lovestruck teenager... How embarrassing._

"Nugh!?" Ashley suddenly gasped as an excruciating pain stabbed her in the chest completely out of nowhere and without warning. She gave an audible gasp in pain before collapsing to her knees, both Carly and Akiza running over to her.

"Ashley!" They gasped, crouching on either side of their friend while trying to ease her through the pain.

It almost felt like Ashley was being stabbed through the chest, her heart pounding rapidly against her ribcage; it felt like it could explode at any minutes. She gripped her chest hard, her other hand on the ground to try and hold herself up. However, when her elbow buckled a bit, Ashley had to lean against her forearm for support, holding her breath since it hurt too much to even breathe. It felt like an eternity before the pain in her chest had finally decided to subside, Ashley letting out an audible gasp, panting hard. She coughed a bit, still gripping her pained chest before sitting up, Carly and Akiza rubbing her back.

"You okay, Ash?" Carly then asked.

She nodded, letting out a low sigh. "Yeah, I'm alright now..."

"What was that all about just now?" Akiza questioned worriedly.

"My chest just started to hurt for some reason, but it's gone now."

"It's getting worse..." The maroon redhead then said, sounding concerned.

"I know it is, but there's nothing I can do about it..." Ashley replied, sounding almost bitter about it.

"Yeah, but...if this continues, won't it become life threatening?" Carly questioned anxiously.

"I don't know... What I _**do**_ know is that my heart won't last much longer, not at this rate anyway... I need a new one, and soon..."

"But didn't you say that even if they found you a new heart, the procedure was going to be dangerous?" Akiza asked.

"They said I might not make it out of the procedure because I'm so young, and my body isn't as strong as it used to be because of my heart having to work twice as hard... However, I...I can't just give up, not yet... Someday, I know I'll get a new heart, and then I'll finally be able to live a normal life again..."

_"Live normal again"...?_ Ashley mulled over that thought for a moment, though doubting herself. _At this point, even **I'm** having trouble believing that... If I'm going to die, I just hope...that I won't have to suffer like I am now... If only for a fleeting moment, I just want to know what it's like...to not have to live with death looming over my shoulder..._


	2. Tension Rises

_**Ring! Ring! Ring!**_

Ashley slowly made her way to class, quietly taking her seat. However, just as she sat down, she felt an arm wrap her shoulder, causing her to flinch a bit. The redhead quickly glanced over to see who had put an arm around her so suddenly only to see a male with short silver hair and golden eyes, a lavender sash tied around his forehead. "Well hey there, Red." The male greeted with a cocky smirk.

"Hi, Kalin..." She replied a bit uncomfortably.

"So, I'm actually not doing anything this weekend," He started. "If you're free, we could, oh, I don't know, have a little fun."

"Thanks, Kalin, but I'll pass. I'm gonna be busy this weekend with my mom..." Ashley said, removing Kalin's arm from around her shoulder to try and give him the hint that she wasn't interested.

Kalin just huffed, flopping down in his seat as he folded his arms. "You're always so busy... What do you even do all the time?"

"Just...help her with her work and around the house when I can." She quickly lied.

The silverette raised an eyebrow. "She's a scientist, Ash, and last time I checked, it's not your job to do her work for her, right? You were always more into automotives and dueling than the world of science. Am I wrong?"

"Well, that's true, but—"

"Is there something you're not telling me then, eh?" He then asked. "What are you so anxious about, Ash? You know you can tell me anything. I won't tell, I promi—"

"And in case you couldn't catch the hint, she doesn't wanna talk about it." A voice cut in, Ashley giving a soft sigh in relief when Akiza had sat down next to her. "She's got a lot going on, Kalin, so could you please stop bothering her?"

"Tch... I highly doubt that... What is so important that she has to lie about it all the time?"

"She isn't lying." Carly interrupted as she sat down on the other side of Ashley. "She does have stuff going on, and her mother just so happens to be there. Ashley isn't just some open book, you know, so she's not going to spill everything to you just because you're nosey."

"I'm _**not**_ nosey, Four-Eyes, I'm just curious as to why she never wants to spend a little time with me, that's all."

"One, because she doesn't want to, and two, because she can't. She has more important things to worry about than trying to please you, White Out." Akiza said in a snarky tone.

Kalin's eyes narrowed. ""White Out"? Oh yeah, real mature, Metal Head."

"Look who's calling the kettle black. Now who's being immature?" Akiza countered, Kalin just rolling his eyes.

Kalin has always had eyes on Ashley ever since she's been attending New Domino High, and over time, it has become something of a bother to her. She's tried countless times to get him off her back, but Kalin just doesn't seem to know what "no" means. Ashley has been rather reserved when involving Kalin, trying not to seem too out there, especially since she isn't interested in him and would much rather just be left alone, especially since she's got enough on her plate to deal with as it is. The last thing Ashley needed was this guy trying to get in her pants when she was more concerned with trying not to die because her heart was failing her. Still though, Kalin persists, so Ashley just tries to ignore him and keep declining his constant attempts to go out with her. This is why she was grateful to have Carly and Akiza, since they know full well of her predicament with Kalin, so they try to intervene whenever they see Ashley is having trouble trying to get rid of him. They're the best of friends Ashley could've ever asked for, especially in the most critical of times in her life.

_**Ring! Ring! Ring!**_

"Alright, everyone, settle down." Their teacher said as she entered the room once the final bell had run for class to begin, everyone's chatter dying down. "Okay, class, so I have a big announcement: We have a new student joining us today!" She said enthusiastically before turning toward the door. "You can come in now."

Suddenly, Ashley's eyes widened a bit when Yusei entered the room, a hand in his pocket. "Class, this is Yusei Fudo, so I want all of you to treat him well and give him a warm Duel Academy welcome!" She smiled. "However, because it is going to be a study period today, I think it is only fair to have someone show Yusei around campus. Now, let's see, who would like to escort Yusei today?"

All of the girls' arms shot straight up, eagerly wanting to become "friendly" with Yusei. It was partially to get out of class, but mostly to get closer to the raven, more than likely to try and flirt with him in an attempt to get his attention. Their teacher, Mrs. Ayama, scanned around the room for someone to choose when her eyes settled on one person in particular, grinning at her choice. "Ah, Ashley!" Ashley suddenly froze, slowly lifting his gaze.

"M-me?" She asked shyly.

"Her!?" All the girls exclaimed, both Carly and Akiza grinning.

It was then Yusei gave a small smirk when his eyes settled on the shying redhead. _Maybe this could be my chance..._

"Oh, yes! You have the best grade in my class and you're always such a good student. I think it's only fitting that you be the one to show Yusei around. You don't mind, do you?"

"N-no, it's fine... I can do it..." She said in a timid voice, slowly getting up from her seat and heading to the front of the class.

"Very good. Now, everyone else, I want you to study for the test coming up this week. If not, then work on something to keep you busy, and please keep the chattering to a minimum." Mrs. Ayama then went to her desk. "Take as long as you need, Ashley, just make sure that Yusei gets a full tour." She smiled.

Ashley gave a small nod, glancing up at Yusei for a moment before exiting the room, the raven following closely behind her. The redhead began showing Yusei around the campus, but fell very silent out of sheer nervousness, most likely. Yusei walked up to Ashley so that they were side by side, breaking the silence between them. "You seem nervous." Yusei said calmly, trying to ease her into the conversation.

"M-maybe a little..." Ashley admitted bashfully.

Yusei merely chuckled in response. "There's no need to be, I won't bite, I promise. Just try to relax a little."

Ashley gave a small nod in response, turning her gaze away from him again. _How can I when my heart is going a thousand miles an hour like this?_

"U-umm... So, how long have you been in New Domino, Yusei?" Ashley then asked.

"Just a couple days. My parents just moved here and transferred me go this new school. Not that I mind, of course since it doesn't seem all that bad."

"Oh... I see..."

"What about you? How long have you lived in New Domino?"

"Well, I used to live in a small city called Satellite, but I guess with my mother's work, she got moved here when I was about six or seven years old, so about ten years or so, give or take."

"That right? Well, it certainly is very nice here."

"Yeah... The people here are pretty nice and friendly for the most part..." She said, feeling a bit more relaxed now that they were talking normally. "Nugh...!" Ashley then winced unexpectedly, gripping her chest for a moment.

_There it goes again! Damn it...! Please don't start up again like a few minutes ago..._ Ashley silently prayed to herself.

"Hm? Is something wrong?" Yusei asked concerningly when he noticed the redhead cringe in pain.

Ashley gasped softly, quickly shaking her head as she waved her hands. "No, I'm fine, just a little chest pain, but I'll be alright, really." She forced a grin, but Yusei clearly wasn't buying it.

"Are you su—"

"Hey, Red!"

The redhead suddenly tensed up upon hearing that shrill voice, slowly lifting his gaze only to see a blonde girl with light green eyes named Angela Raines walking toward her. "A-Angela..."

"So, did you finish that homework I asked you to?"

"U-uh, n-no, not yet. I, uh, got held up, s-so I wasn't able to finish—"

"I thought I told you that I specifically needed it today? Geez, pay attention, Young!"

Ashley cringed at that shrill, annoying voice ringing in her ears, her heart beginning to pound against her chest. Yusei could see Ashley shrinking in fear, and it made him clench his fist as he grit his teeth. "My God, can you do anything right, Young? Ugh! You're so useless sometimes!"

"I-I know, it's just—"

"Just what!?" Angela snapped.

"I-I..."

Suddenly, out of the blue, Ashley's eyes fell, abruptly dropping to the floor. Yusei's eyes widened, quickly running up to her and trying to shake the redhead awake. "Ashley? Hey, Ashley? Come on, you have to wake up. Ashley?!" When Yusei realized that Ashley wasn't going to wake up, he turned toward Angela, glaring daggers. "_**Go away.**_" He hissed in a dark tone.

"Hey! Just who the hell are you!? Do you have any idea who I—"

"I don't care!" Yusei snapped this time. "Can't you see Ashley is unconscious!? Leave, _**now!**_" He demanded.

Angela just scoffed before turning in the other direction, flipping her long hair off her shoulder with attitude as she stomped away.

Yusei then turned back to Ashley, gently brushing some stray bangs out of her face. _You know, she's actually really...beautiful._ _Although, I'd better get her to the infirmary_. He then lifted Ashley up into his arms and carried her to the nurse's office.

It took some time since Yusei didn't know exactly where he was going, but when he arrived at the nurse's office, the woman there turned to see the raven with an unconscious Ashley in his arms. "Oh my goodness! What happened to her?"

"I'm not sure. She just...collapsed."

"Lay her down over here." The nurse said, Yusei nodding as he laid Ashley on one of the beds. The nurse then grabbed a flashlight, opening each eye to shine the light in them. "Her eyes seem to still be functioning the way they should... Hmm... Do you know what could've caused her to collapse so suddenly?"

"Some bully was yelling at her when she lost consciousness."

The nurse's eyes widened for a moment, glancing over to Ashley before back at Yusei. "Is...is her name Ashley Young by chance?"

"Yes, why?"

The nurse tensed up. "Oh no..."

"What? What is it?"

"I might know why this girl collapsed out the blue the way she did..." She said. "Ashley has a congenital heart disease, and any number of things can trigger it. However, the most notable thing I should mention is that...her heart is failing."

Yusei's eyes widened. "What...?" He asked in shock. "Failing, why?"

"She's had this condition since she was a child, but it wasn't diagnosed until she was around thirteen, and by then, it was already too late to save the heart she has... I've been told that doctors are desperately searching for a new heart for Ashley, but...because of her weakened body, she might not make it out of the procedure... I'm one of the few people who know about this, along with her two friends, and of course the doctors at Domino General. Ashley doesn't want anyone to know about her current situation, so...please don't let anyone know about this. She really doesn't like to make a big deal out of anything..."

Yusei gave a nod in response. "Don't worry, I understand."

_So...this is why I was sent here then... I have to..._

* * *

"_Nnn..._" Ashley mumbled as her eyes slid open.

_Where...am I...?_ She wondered, slowly pushing herself to sit up.

Ashley rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes, blinking a few times before scanning around to try and figure out where she was. _Oh... I'm in the nurse's office. But...how did I even get here? I don't...remember..._

"Are you finally awake?" A voice spoke up.

"Huh?" Ashley turned to the voice only to see Yusei seated in a chair next to the bed, his arms folded over his chest and a leg crossed over the other. "Yusei...?"

The raven stood from his chair, seating himself next to Ashley on the bed. He then reached over and gently grabbed Ashley's chin, leaning in close to her, which caused the redhead to blush slightly at the closeness. Yusei lightly turned her head to either side before placing the back of his hand on her forehead. "Well, nothing seems out of the ordinary... How do you feel?"

"Oh, u-umm... I'm okay." She stammered a bit.

"Any pain?"

Ashley shook her head. "Not at the moment, no."

"Good." Yusei grinned a bit. "And don't worry, I explained the situation to your teacher." Ashley tensed up when she heard this. "I just told her that you suddenly fainted." The redhead then relaxed a little.

"Oh, okay..."

"Can you stand?" Yusei then asked as he got off the bed.

"I think I should be okay." Ashley tossed the blankets off her body before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, getting to her feet, but wobbled slightly. Yusei quickly grabbed her arm to help steady her.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little off balance, that's all."

Yusei slowly let go of Ashley's arm. "Okay then..."

"Thank you...for looking after me." Ashley then said shyly.

"Of course. I thought it best not to leave you by yourself."

"Mm... Well, maybe I should get to class... But, uh, how long...was I out for?"

"About an hour and a half. I believe it's third period now."

"Oh, okay... Then I should get going."

"Please, allow me to walk you there." Yusei offered.

Ashley's heart skipped a beat, swallowing hard. "N-no, that's okay, I'm fine, really..."

"Please, I insist. I would feel much more comfortable knowing you got to class without any hassle."

The redhead sighed softly. "A-are you sure? I don't want to trouble you more than I already have."

"It really is no trouble."

"Alright... I guess it would be better if someone was with me after what happened..." She said, images of before she passed out flashing in her mind.

Yusei grinned, handing Ashley her backpack. "I made sure to grab this for you while I was there."

"Oh, thank you..." Ashley blushed a bit, taking her bag.

"Shall we go then?" Yusei gestured.

The redhead gave a small nod as the two made their leave, making sure to get passes from the nurse to get into class. _I wonder...what happened after I lost consciousness..._ Ashley wondered.

"Oh, right. You won't have to worry about that girl bullying you anymore." Yusei spoke up.

"Huh?"

"I made sure to take care of her while you were resting. She won't bother you now."

_Jack...took care of Angela?_ She thought, a bit shocked. _Just who is this guy?_


	3. Inner Demons

Ashley sighed to herself softly as lunch period came around. She aimlessly began to wander around the campus, just minding her own business, when suddenly, she got a very uneasy feeling. She wasn't entirely sure why, but something definitely didn't feel right. Something in the air was just...off. Ashley stopped right in her tracks and paused for a long moment, that uneasy feeling setting in even further. A chill ran up her spine at the feeling alone, like something sinister was somewhere nearby. Ashley soon got her answer as to what that uneasy feeling was when she began to scan around her, only to gasp softly when a saw a man with long, silver hair, red and black horns on his head, pointed ears, and blood red eyes. Ashley stood there, frozen in place for a moment before finally forcing her feet to move, slowly taking a couple steps backwards, but gasped again when the strange man turned toward her, a smirk playing on his face.

"Ah, so I have finally found you..." He said in a deep, but somehow eerie tone of voice, causing a chill to crawl up Ashley's spine again.

It was then a thought occurred to her upon shaking off her uneasiness. _Hang on... Can...can no one...see him?_ Ashley wondered suspiciously.

"Wh-who are you?" She asked in a shaky voice, trying to keep it even.

"Me? Why, I'm a demon, what else?" He replied bluntly, causing Ashley to tense up.

"Ugh...!"

_Demon?! What?! But...I thought those didn't exist! And, why am __**I**__ the only one who can see him? Why isn't anyone doing anything? Can no one else really not see this...this **thing?**_

"Oh, perhaps I should mention that only those with "the gift" or "the sight," if you prefer, can see beings such as myself." The man then spoke.

Ashley paused for a second, processing what the man had just said. _Wait, gift? What gift? There's...there's nothing special about me though. What is this guy talking about?_

"I know what you're thinking: "Why me? What's so special about me?""

"Ugh!?" Ashley gasped, her eyes widening.

_How...how did he know?!_

"I know because you are not the first, but you are the reincarnation of those who have this special "gift," one to see demons such as myself." He chuckled.

"What do you mean by "gift?" Why kind of gift are you referring to?"

"I mean "the Eyes of an Angel." Once every hundred years, a human is chosen to bare this very special gift to see demons, whereas other humans can't, unless they are mediums I suppose you could use to compare."

_Almost like ghosts then, but not?_

"So...what do you want from me?" Ashley then asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

"What do I want? Hmm... Funny, most don't ask what, only..."

"Ugh...!" Ashley suddenly gasped when the man appeared in front of her, mere inches away from her face.

"..."Why?"" The man chuckled.

_**Shink!**_

"Aaahh!" Ashley gasped her neck was suddenly slashed, ripping her scarf in the process as she quickly threw her hand over the new wound.

_My neck...!_ She then lowered her hand, gasping when she saw her palm covered in her own blood. _Ugh!? Blood!?_ Ashley quickly covered her bleeding neck again, gripping it tightly in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding.

The demon then licked his fingers, giving a pleased smirk. "My, my, your blood certainly does tastes sweet... You wouldn't mind if I had another taste, would you?"

"Ugh! No, s-stay back!" Ashley exclaimed.

_**Shink!**_

"Nugh!?"

Ashley quickly held her other arm up in defense, cringing when the demon's razor sharp claws slashed at her right arm, tearing his shirt as blood began to drip down onto the ground. _My arm...! Nugh...! At this rate...!_

"Hold still now... This won't hurt a bit!"

_**Shink!**_

"Ahh!" Ashley cried out as her leg was slashed, collapsing to the ground. "Nugh...!?" She quickly gripped her bleeding leg with her injured arm, watching as blood began to trickle.

_No...! I can't...walk, not...not like this! What...do I do!?_

"Damn... I missed and hit your leg... Don't worry, I won't miss next time, promise. Just hold still, okay?"

"Nooo!"

_**Whoosh!**_

Ashley sat there for a long moment, holding her bloody arm over her face, but when she opened her eyes, they widened. She turned her gaze only to see Yusei Fudo had jumped in the way, grabbing the demon's wrist as he glared daggers. "Ugh!? What the...!?"

"I suggest you back down, demon, because you wouldn't like to see me when I'm angry..." Yusei hissed.

"Hold on... Midnight black hair, and eyes of sapphire... ...Ugh!? Yusei Fudo!? What in the hell are you doing here!?"

"My job, which is protecting the girl, now I suggest you back off before I make you." He said in a dark tone, releasing the demon's wrist.

The demon the growled. "This isn't over!" He then ran off in the other direction.

Ashley just sat there for a long moment, panting a bit as Yusei brushed his shoulders before turning to face the redhead. The raven then crouched down to her level only to see Ashley covered in her own blood. "That damn bastard used his claws to hurt you... And in your weakened state, there was nothing you could do to defend yourself..."

_Defend myself? How could I have possibly defended myself from that thing?_ Ashley wondered legitimately.

"Here, let me see. I need to know how badly you're hurt." Yusei said before lifting Ashley's hand from her neck only to see the large claw marks covered in her own blood. "Hmm... These are rather deep, but I'm sure I will be able to heal them normally..."

_Wait, heal them? But how?_

"I'm going to need you to hold still, Ashley, because this is going to hurt."

"Wait, wha—ahh!?"

Ashley cried out in pain when Yusei leaned in and began to lick at her wound. The redhead couldn't help the blush that formed on her cheeks at both the closeness and the act itself. She squirmed around in pain, gritting her teeth with her eyes shut tightly, clenching her fist. Yusei allowed his tongue to gently glide along Ashley's wounds on her neck, but despite this, he knew it was going to hurt because this wasn't a painless process, sadly. After what felt like forever, Yusei finally drew away, wiping the blood from his chin as Ashley started panting. She then lifted her hand to her neck, only to gasp softly.

_What...? It's gone?_

"Alright, let me see your arm."

"U-umm, Yusei?"

"Hm? What is it, Ashley? I really need to heal your wounds."

"I know, but..." She blushed a bit. "C-can we do this somewhere more..._private?_" Ashley asked shyly.

Yusei glanced over to see a few people staring, sighing softly. "Alright, if it will make you feel better, then we can go somewhere else." He then got to his feet before lifting Ashley up into his arms, taking her around to the back of the school where he knew no one would bother them.

When the two were finally alone, the raven gently set Yusei down on the ground, crouching down to her level again. "Here, roll your sleeve up so I can see your arm better."

Ashley gave a small nod, carefully pushing her sleeve up to reveal her bloody arm. Yusei then took her hand and examined the wound. "This one doesn't seem as deep, but I still won't be able to heal it in the way I would much rather prefer to... Just try to bear with it, alright?" Yusei then leaned in, pressing his tongue against the wound.

"Nugh!?" Ashley suddenly winced.

"I know it hurts, Ashley, but this is the only way I'm able to do this. You'll just have to bite the bullet on this. I'm sorry…"

_It's not that I mind_ _him_ _healing my wounds and all, however that is_ _possible, it's just...this is so embarrassing..._ Ashley blushed a shade of rose.

Once Yusei was finished with her arm, he drew back, Ashley examining it only to find this wound gone as well. "The wound... It's gone."

"Yes, it is, but now I need your leg." Yusei then reached over grabbed Ashley's ankle before even asking, the redhead gasping a bit as she fell onto her backside, her back pressed against the wall. The raven took Ashley's boot off and rolled her pant leg up as he examined the wound, but this one wasn't nearly as deep, probably because it wasn't intentional. "This one doesn't look as deep as the other two were, but just to be safe..."

"Gahh!" Ashley gasped when Yusei started to lick this wound, quickly biting down on her torn and bloodstained scarf to silence her pained cries.

Somehow, as Yusei's tongue was gliding against her wound, it felt strangely enjoyable, despite the pain. The pain mixed with pleasure gave Ashley an odd feeling, one she wasn't sure how to feel about. However, before getting too into the moment, she felt Yusei pull away, this wound now healed as well. Yusei then rolled Ashley's pant leg down and slipped her boot back on. "There, you're all healed. Now try to avoid demons at all cost. I won't always be there when you need me, so don't be so reckless, alright?"

Ashley lowered her gaze. "Well, it wasn't exactly my fault to begin with… I didn't even know these demons existed, not until now, that is…"

"That must be because of your heart condition. It's weakened your body over the years, so you were never aware of them until one showed up in front of you, but they're everywhere, and all of them want to eat you."

Ashley suddenly gasped. "What...? E-eat me? But...why?"

"It's because you have a pure soul. They want to consume it to make them more powerful, and if that happens, well…let's just say it won't end well for anyone. So, if something like this happens again, I want you to use this." Yusei reached in his pocket and handed Ashley what looked to be some kind of silver dog whistle.

"A...whistle?" Ashley questioned, taking the whistle from Yusei.

"This is no ordinary whistle. If you blow this, I'll know where you are and be able to find you, so don't lose this since it's going to be the only way that I can locate you. Now, if you ever do need me, then use it, though I pray that you'll never have to."

Ashley stared at the small whistle in her palm. _A whistle to use whenever I'm in danger?_ She closed her fingers around the whistle. _I hope that it won't ever have to come to that…_

"Alright, well, thank you." She said, stuffing the whistle into her pocket.. "I should really go now..."

"Hang on. Your clothes are all torn up and covered in blood, so let me fix it."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Ashley asked, glancing down at her destroyed and dirtied clothing.

"Well, I'm not like most people." Yusei then said.

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Perhaps it's better if I just show you." He said, holding up his right hand.

_**Snap!**_

Yusei snapped his fingers, a puff of smoke appearing. When it cleared, Ashley's clothes were fixed and free of any blood stains, as if nothing had ever happened to them in the first place. Ashley quickly rolled her shirt sleeve down before getting to his feet and hurrying off, uttering a soft "thank you" in the process. _Just…what am I dealing with here?_ Ashley wondered as she made a hasty retreat, but not before stealing one final glance back at Yusei. _He was right though… Yusei really isn't like other people…_

Once Ashley was gone, Yusei let out a low sigh. "It's worse than we thought, isn't it?"

_"It would seem that way, unfortunately... She is being targeted much sooner than I had originally anticipated."_ A voice then said.

"I know, and that's what worries me… Ashley is clearly in a lot more danger than we first thought… I'll have to figure out a way to protect her. Although, I don't understand as to why she was targeted so suddenly like this… It just doesn't make sense."

_"She has the Eyes of an Angel and a soul of_ _pure light, therefore, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that demons are after her now, especially with her turning eighteen very soon."_

"Wait, I thought you said she _**was**_ eighteen, sir?"

_"No, I said he was __**turning**__ eighteen, Yusei, don't get it confused. You must have misheard me while I was explaining the situation."_

"Yes, perhaps… My apologies for that, sir. The moment you said I had to protect a girl, I must've tuned that part out, so forgive me. Although, when I think back on all of this, I was sent to Purgatory… I am still a bit unsure as to why you chose to send me here to watch after the girl, sir."

_"That is exactly why I chose you, so that you could try to repent for all of your past mistakes, Yusei, for redemption."_

"Honestly, given all the mistakes I have made in the past, I'm still not confident that I'm the right person for the job…"

_"You must try. If you ever wish to escape from Purgatory, then you have to at least attempt to save that girl's life."_

Yusei sighed softly. "Well, it's not like you're giving me much of a choice, are you?"

_"No, I'm not. Now please, watch over Ashley. She should not be nearing death at such a rapid pace like this. I feel as though something more sinister is behind this..."_

"Then I'll just have to figure out what it is..."

_Something more sinister? She has a heart condition, but...if he thinks it's something other than that, then I'll have my work cut out for me... This should be interesting to say the least..._

"Hey, Yusei!" A voice suddenly called out to him.

"Hm?" Yusei perked up, turning in the direction the voice came from, only to find two males approaching him.

The first male was a bit shorter than Yusei with bright, spiky orange hair and steel grey eyes, a green ban with two silver rings wrapped around his forehead. As the for the other male, he was clearly taller than both of them with sunkist blonde hair and deep amethyst eyes that seemed to have a certain coldness to them. Yusei turned to face the two males, grinning a bit when he saw them. "Jack, Crow. I wasn't made aware that you both were attending this school."

"Yeah! Big man upstairs gave us a chance at redemption, and when we passed his standards, he made us human again!" The boy known by the name of Crow Hogan explained briefly.

"I was surprised he even let me become human again, especially after all that I've done…" The boy who went by the name of Jack Atlas said, seeming a bit baffled by the situation. "But what about you? When we heard there was a new student attending the school, we didn't expect it to be you."

"I've been tasked to watch after a girl by the name of Ashley Young. She has a heart condition, but for some reason, her life signs are declining faster than they should. I have to figure out what is causing this and try to save her life if possible. Maybe then I'll finally be able to escape Purgatory and be free again…"

Crow smiled, patting Yusei on the back. "Don't worry about it, Yus! Jack and I will help ya out any way we can! You just go look after that girl and we'll see what we can do on our end!"

Yusei grinned. "Thanks, you guys."

"Don't mention it. After all, we do have you to thank as well, since you helped us in escaping from Purgatory, Crow and I just chose to be human after we were redeemed. This is the least we could do to repay the debt we owe to you, friend." Said Jack.

Yusei nodded. "Well, it really means a lot to me." He thanked. "As for Ashley, given the fact that she has the Eyes of an Angel, and that she was just attacked by a demon so suddenly, I might have a guess as to what is doing this to her… I just hope that my hunch is wrong…"


	4. Sleepless Nights

"So, doctor, how long does my baby girl have?" Ashley's mother asked once they had finished with the tests they had done after school.

"From all the x-rays, MRI's, and blood tests, something just doesn't add up." The doctor replied.

"Doesn't add up? Just what are you trying to say exactly?"

"For some reason unknown to us, your daughter's health is declining at a much faster rate than it should and we're not sure why."

"What does that mean then?"

"I'm not sure..." She said, flipping through the charts on her clipboard. "If I had to give an estimate, I'd say that Ashley has maybe six months at most to live, unless we can find her a new heart, and that's really stretching it right now."

"Have you got any leads yet?"

She shook her head sadly. "No, I'm afraid... We have been searching for a new heart because Ashley is our top priotory at this point, but...nothing has come in yet. At this rate, all we can do is hope that a new heart comes in before her time is up..."

"But even if a new heart comes in, what of the procedure?"

"Right now, I couldn't tell you. With the state Ashley's body is in, I'm not even sure that she would even be able to make it out of the procedure. Her body is just slowly weakening with the more time that passes. At this rate, in her current condition, it could become life threatening, unless we find her a new heart, and then there's the ultimate risk of the surgery itself..."

"So, in other words, it's more of a 40/60 chance she'll make it through this alive then?"

"In laments terms, yes. I'm sorry, Mrs. Young, but we really are doing everything we can for your daughter."

"Yes, I know you are... We just...have to keep hoping and prey that things will work out in the end..." She replied, hanging her head a bit. "And what about Ashley, what should I tell her?"

"Nothing yet. There's no need to worry her."

"But she's going to find out eventually."

"Yes, just...not yet." The doctor then turned and walked off.

Ashley's mother sighed before heading toward her daughter's room. She drew in a deep breath before opening the door, Ashley perking up a bit. "What did she say?"

"She said...you'll be okay. They're close to finding you a new heart, so you won't have to worry much longer." She forced a smile.

"Okay, sounds good."

"Anyway, I've...gotta get back to the lab. Are you okay with staying here the night?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it, it's nothing new. I'm used to it by now..."

"Alright... Take care and I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye, Mo—" Ashley suddenly cut herself off when she got up from the bed to hug her mother goodbye.

Ashley's mother raised an eyebrow. "Honey? Are you alri—"

"Aaaahhhh!" Ashley suddenly exclaimed, collapsing to her knees as she gripped onto her chest hard.

"Ashley!" Her mother panicked, running up to her daughter.

Ashley gripped her chest, just an excruciating, stabbing pain hitting her right in the heart. Tears began to fill Ashley's eyes from the unbearable pain she was in, her chest tightening up. It soon became difficult to breathe, Ashley gasping for breath as her vision began to blur. "I…can't…breathe!" Ashley gasped breathlessly.

"Help! Somebody!" Ashley's mother shouted. "Just hold on, baby, I'm not letting you die yet!" She said, pouncing to her feet as she bolted out the room to try and get help.

Meanwhile, as Ashley sat there on the floor, gripping her chest while gasping for air, the room began to spin, the pain was just becoming unbearable at this point, Ashley unable to keep herself conscious, and so, without so much as a warning, she collapsed onto her side, falling into abrupt unconsciousness just as her mother and a couple nurses burst back into the room. "No! Ashley!" Her mother exclaimed.

A nurse rushed over to the teen, rolling her onto her back s she placed her first two fingers against Ashley's neck, only for her eyes to widen. "Get the doctor, now! Her heart has stopped!" The nurse ordered. "The patient is going into cardiac arrest, starting compressions now!" She announced, clasping her hands together as she began to press against Ashley's chest, the other nurse taking off to get the doctor.

Within seconds, the nurse returned with the doctor, Ashley's mother already in tears by this point since she was basically forced to watch as the nurses tried to bring her only daughter back. "Get her on the bed now, and someone go grab the defibrillators, STAT!" The doctor ordered as bother her and the nurse got Ashley up onto the bed, the nurse continuing compressions on Ashley's chest with still no signs of her waking up.

Not much longer after getting the teen back onto the bed did the nurse return with the defibrillators, quickly hooking the machine up. While they were hooking the defibrillators up, the doctor grabbed a pair of scissors and cut open Ashley's shirt, revealing her black bra. Once her torso was exposed, two patches were placed on her body, one on the upper right side of her chest and the other on the lower left part of her chest underneath her bustline. The doctor then grabbed the two electrodes, pressing them together as she spoke. "Set the amount to 700 volts." She instructed, the nurse nodding as she pressed a few buttons.

"Ready, ma'am." The nurse said.

"Alright then. Clear!" The doctor announced as she placed the electrodes on Ashley's torso.

Moments later, her body jolted upward from being shocked, the doctor taking away the electrodes as the nurse pressed her fingers to Ashley's wrist, shaking her head. The doctor frowned, turning to the other nurse. "Up the wattage to 800 volts."

The nurse nodded, doing as she was asked.

"Clear!" The doctor announced again, pressing the electrodes back to Ashley's chest as they went off, her body jolting for the second time.

The other nurse pressed her fingers to Ashley's wrist again, and her eyes suddenly widened. "We have a pulse."

Everyone all sighed in relief, the doctor putting the electrodes back on the machine. "I want a blood sample from Ms. Young, and be sure to put her on oxygen. Also, put an IV in just for the time being so she doesn't get dehydrated. When she awakens, we'll have to run some more tests to see why she almost went into cardiac arrest." The doctor instructed, the nurses all nodding as they scurried off to do as they were told.

Meanwhile, the doctor approached Ashley's mother, who was trying to wipe away all the tears from her face, though was still a sobbing mess. "It's alright, Mrs. Young, your daughter is fine now. We got her heart working again, so please try to calm down."

She nodded, wiping her face as she sniffed. "Thank you for bringing my daughter back, doctor…"

The doctor held her hand up. "No need to thank me, I'm merely doing my duty as a doctor, which is to save lives. I will look into finding your daughter a new heart, especially after this escapade."

The teen's mother nodded again. "Yes, alright. Thank you. Will Ashley be alright to stay here the night? I really have to get back to the lab, even though I desperately wish I could stay…"

"Yes, she will be fine. We will make sure to keep a close eye on her and make sure that her heart doesn't stop like that again."

Ashley's mother gave a nod in acknowledgement. "Alright, I trust you. Please take care of my daughter." And with that, she turned and made her leave.

Once Mrs. Young was gone, the doctor sighed, taking a quick glance at the unconscious teen the nurses were taking care of. _I have to find this girl a new heart… She's running out of time, time she just doesn't have…_

**-That Night-**  
**Domino General Hospital**  
**2:27 AM**

That night, Ashley let out a soft moan, her eyes sliding open only to find herself staring up at the ceiling. _What…happened?_ She wondered, pushing herself to sit up as she lifted a hand to rub her face. However, when Ashley's hand touched her face, she paused, having felt some kind of plastic tube. She glanced down, only to see a clear cord coming down from her face. Ashley began to feel around her face, only to realize she had an oxygen tube attached to her nose, the cord going around her ears and behind her head. _An oxygen tube?_ She questioned, only to notice a small patch wrapped around her left elbow as well as the fact that she was now dressed in a pair of light teal colored scrubs. It was then that Ashley managed to put two and two together, her eyes widening for a moment, only to let out a soft sigh. _Oh, right… My heart must've stopped again…_ Ashley clenched her fist. _This is the third time this month… Just how many times can I keep escaping death like this? My time is running out, and I still don't have a heart… I don't have much time left… Maybe I should just—_

_**Whoosh!**_

"Ugh...!" Ashley whipped her head toward the sudden, but strange sound.

_What was that...?_

_**Whoosh!**_

"Nugh!" She whipped his head around again.

_There it is again! Someone's here, but who...?_

Ashley slowly removed the oxygen tube from around her face before cautiously climbing out of bed, scanning around the room, but no one was there. Still though, she had a strange feeling that someone was there, she just didn't know who, and somehow, that felt more intimidating. Not knowing who was there in the room with her made her imagination run wild, remembering the events of today. That uneasy feeling suddenly grew upon remembering what had happened. It was then Ashley noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She glanced over toward the bedside table only to see the silver whistle Yusei had given her. She reached over and quickly picked up the small object, staring at it in her palm. Suddenly though, that same strange noise resounded in her again, Ashley quickly putting her guard back up again.

_**Whoosh!**_

"Ugh!?"

_What is that sound? Who is making it? And what do they want with—hm?_ Ashley cut her thoughts off when she noticed something on the floor. She cautiously began to step forward, leaning over to pick up what she had found only to raise an eyebrow. _A black feather...?_

_**Whoosh!**_

"Urgh!" Ashley quickly whipped around, holding the whistle close to her chest. "Wh-who's there?" She called.

No answer...

_Someone is __**definitely**__ here..._

Ashley could feel her heart rate increase, thumping against her chest as her anxiety just kept building. She slowly began to back up toward the door of the room, when suddenly, she felt her back touch something, or more like _**someone.**_ Ashley got ready to gasp, until a hand was suddenly clasped over her mouth, causing her to begin to struggle. However, due to her current condition, the more Ashley struggled, the weaker she began to feel, growing rapidly weaker by the second.

"_Please stop struggling. I'm not_ _here to hurt you._"

Ashley abruptly halted, the silence falling upon her again. _Wait... That voice... It couldn't be..._

"Have you settled down?" The voice then asked.

Ashley gave a small nod before the hand over her mouth was removed. She quickly took a couple steps forward, turning to see who it was behind her, but her eyes suddenly widened upon realizing who it was. "What...? No way... What...what are you doing here...Yusei?"

* * *

"What...? No way... What...what are you doing here...Yusei?" Ashley gasped, in total shock.

"Forgive me for showing up so suddenly like this, but I had to come see you."

"See me? But why?"

"Because, if I'm going to be watching over you, it'll be much easier if you know what I really am."

"Wait, what do you mean by "what you really are"?"

"It's much easier to show you than it is to tell." He replied.

Yusei sucked in a short breath before closing his eyes, Ashley quietly waiting in anticipation. Suddenly though, large, midnight black wings spread from his back as strange, dragon-like horns appeared on Yusei's head along with dark markings on the sides of his face. Yusei also seemed to have gained a set of small fangs as well as razor sharp claws, his clothes also turning all black. Ashley's eyes widened, her jaw dropping a bit at the unbelievable sight before her. She could've sworn she was dreaming if what she had experienced earlier that day hadn't actually happened. When Yusei opened his eyes, he gazed up at Ashley again, only his eyes had changed from a vibrant cerulean blue to a deep crimson red, the whites of his eyes also having turned black in color.

"This is my true form..."

Ashley swallowed hard. "Just...what are you?"

"You've already witnessed what a demon is as of today, though they all have many different forms, you just encountered one that appeared to you in human form. However, as it stands, if demons exist, then it would only make sense that angels do as well."

"So then...you're an angel?" Ashley questioned.

"Not exactly. I'm what's known as a fallen angel..." Yusei corrected.

"A fallen angel? You mean like, cast out from heaven?"

"More or less, yes. I was trapped in what's known as Purgatory, however, the big man upstairs decided to try and give me a second chance, so he sent me here to watch after you." Yusei pointed upward to help make his point.

"But why me though? I thought that I was going to die, something I've already come to accept..." Ashley said, though sadly.

"In truth, yes, you were, but the deeper He looked into your case, the more He began to realize that this wasn't just an ordinary heart condition."

Ashley perked up a bit. "What are you trying to say then?"

"There is most likely something more to this condition that you have. In actuality, your health shouldn't be declining at the rate that it is so rapidly, which means something is either feeding on or just simply stealing your life force from you."

Ashley's eyes widened. "Is...is that why it feels like my heart has worsened over the last couple of months?"

"So it seems that you've caught onto it as well. I will say, I'm actually impressed that you managed to notice that something was off. Regardless, now that I know that you were already aware of this strange phenomenon as well, this will make things a little easier. Now the hard part of all this is figuring out what's causing your condition to worsen so quickly and putting a stop to it before it can take your life."

"But...aren't I going to die anyway?" Ashley asked sadly, her gaze dropping.

"Originally, yes, you were supposed to die." Ashley clenched her fist at hearing this. "However, like I said, your condition shouldn't be worsening like this. Also, as that demon mentioned before, you have a very special gift – the Eyes of an Angel – so we can't allow you to perish."

Ashley lifted her head. "So then...what does that mean for me?"

"Right now, I'm not sure. What I do know is that we have to figure out what's causing your decline in health and rapid heart failure, and fast."

"But that still doesn't explain you." Ashley then pointed out.

"What about me?" Yusei asked.

"I mean, Why did God send you, if you don't mind my asking?"

Yusei sighed softly. "When I was still human, I was very selfish, arrogant, and couldn't care less about anyone except for myself. However, one day, I got in a horrible accident and died instantly, but was sent to Purgatory. I thought I was going to be stuck there in that hell forever, and soon enough, I began to accept that realization, until He called me. There, I was given the task of protecting and trying to help save you. Granted, I'm still not entirely sure if I'm the right person for this whole arrangement, but at the same time, He said that it could help to repent for everything I've done wrong... So, I agreed to watch after you and try to save your life."

"So, are you still an angel?"

"No, I'm a fallen angel, hence why I was in Purgatory. Now, I haven't done anything heinous, such as murder or espionage or anything like that, which is why I wasn't sent to Hell, otherwise He wouldn't have asked for my help. Also, fallen angels are better equipped to deal with demons. Angels handle the devils while I take care of the demons, which are managed by the devils. I myself really only have to answer to Him since he was the one who brought me out of Purgatory. Make sense so far?"

"More or less, but I think I get the idea." Ashley acknowledged.

"And now that we've gotten the exposition out of the way, I need for you to agree to help me try and stop whoever or whatever is doing this to you."

Ashley thought for a moment before gazing up at Yusei with a stern look, giving a nod. "I'll help you, and not just because it'll keep me from dying. I'll help you because these creatures hurt other people like me, am I right?"

"Well, yes; they're demons, so they don't have any morals, nor do they care about who their next victim is."

"In that case, I'll help because these things need to be stopped. No one should have to go through what I am now..."

"Then it's settled. You will help me find and stop whoever is trying to end your life." Yusei said, sealing the deal. "However..."

"Hmm? What is it?" Ashley asked.

"No, never mind... I shouldn't worry about that right now..." Yusei brushed it off. "Anyhow, I should be off... Please try to stay safe until we meet again, Ashley."

"Wait, but I—"

_**Whoosh!**_

_He's gone..._

Ashley sighed before lifting her hand, gazing at the feather she had found. _Yusei is a fallen angel, demons are after me, and I only have maybe four to six months left to live, if that... It's_ _so much to take in, and time is most definitely not on my side._ _Most people wouldn't believe any of this, but considering the circumstances and what I've come to witness up until now, I don't really have a choice __**but**__ to believe. Although...how am I supposed to figure out who is doing this to me? It could be anyone, or anything... I suppose that's what I have to figure out. Guess I'll really have my work cut out for me…_


	5. Cold, But Gentle

Ashley's eyes slipped open, blinking a few times. She just laid in her bed for a long while, nothing but silence around her with the gentle morning sunlight peeking in through the curtains. After almost twenty minutes, Ashley pushed herself to sit up, rubbing her eyes before stretching her tired body and giving a soft yawn. _I have to get some parts..._ She thought to herself, slowly climbing out of bed. _I'm not used to being at home... I spend_ _most of my time at the hospital, so it feels strange sleeping in my own bed for once..._

"Nugh...!" Ashley suddenly gasped, gripping her chest.

_**Cough! Cough! Hack! Cough!**_

Ashley went into a horrible fit of coughing and hacking, holding her other hand over her mouth as she fell to her knees. Her chest throbbed and her lungs contracted, her heart pounding against her ribcage, making this all the more unpleasant. Ashley just sat there on the floor, placing her hand down to try and support her as she coughed violently. After what seemed like an eternity, Ashley was finally able to catch her breath, panting heavily. However, when she drew her hand back away from her mouth, her eyes widened as she gasped. All she saw blood staining her palm, and just at the sight of that alone, Ashley almost felt like crying, but she didn't. No, she held those tears back and instead clenched her fist, slowly getting back on her feet. She went for the bathroom, washing away the blood from her hand and splashing some water on her face in an attempt to help calm her nerves. As the water dripped from her chin, Ashley lifted her head, gazing at her reflection.

_It's getting worse..._ She noted. _It's only been a week and already I'm started to cough up blood... I need to hurry and figure out what is doing this to me before it's too late, because I'm running out of time..._ Ashley thought before drying her face off.

The redhead went back to her room and quickly got dressed before heading downstairs, where she saw her mother getting ready to leave. "You're leaving?" The girl asked.

"Ah, sorry, Ash, but they need me at the lab today. We're still working on the Ener-D Reactor, trying to get it up and running."

"Oh, okay..." She merely acknowledged.

_That thing is the reason for my father no longer being here, and why I can never spend any time with my mother…_ Ashley thought, seeming both annoyed and saddened by this thought.

"Here." Her mother then said, handing Ashley something.

"Money?" She questioned.

Her mother nodded. "I'm not sure how long I'll be or if I'll be able to come home tonight, so here's some money for food and whatever else you need. And remember, if you have another episode, head to the hospital straight away, understand?"

"Don't worry, I know already, Mom. I should be fine for tonight at the very least."

"Alright. Well, I should get going. I'll be home as soon as I can, sweetheart."

Ashley nodded. "Okay. Bye, Mom."

"Goodbye, honey. Take care." Mrs. Young then kissed her daughter on the forehead before making her leave.

Ashley waited a little bit for her mother to leave, but once she was sure that she was gone, the redhead head for the garage. She opened the door and flicked on the light, walking over to something with a black tarp on it. Ashley stood there for a moment before grabbing the tarp and yanking it off, only to reveal and black and white Duel Runner. She placed her hand against the frame, gliding it along the lightweight metal with a saddened look on her face.

"One day... One day I hope to ride this again..." She said aloud before placing the tarp back on the machine.

Ashley exited the garage and slipped her boots on, heading for the front door. After locking the door, the redhead began walking, wanting to run a few errands while her mother was gone, despite the fact that she probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place. _I know I probably shouldn't be out like this, what with all the demons that are after me and my heart condition, but...there are things that I need to do. I won't let those demons or this condition stop me from—_

"Care to explain what you are doing?"

"Ugh!?" Ashley suddenly gasped, quickly whipping around only to see that handsome raven himself standing right there before her. "What the...!? How...!? When did you...!?" The redhead questioned, still very confused over how and when Yusei got there.

"Did you forget already? I'm a fallen angel, Ashley, so it's not very difficult to get around when I have wings."

"Right, I knew that..."

"Come now, Ashley, it's only been a week. Is your memory really that terrible?"

Ashley frowned. "No, it's just…" She let out an exasperated sigh. "Never mind… Is there something you needed, Yusei? I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"Doing what, might I ask? I thought you weren't supposed to be going anywhere because of your condition, which, as I can very clearly see, is worsening."

"What? How would you even know that just by looking at me?"

"Well, for starters, you look more exhausted than usual, and second, I'm still a fallen angel, so I can sense that you're not feeling well today. Understand now?"

Ashley averted her gaze. "I'm alright, really, so you can leave now. Besides, I really do have things that need to get done today."

"Even with all the demons after you?"

"I'm not going to let them stop me from getting done what I need done, Yusei. Please, just…go. I'll be fine."

Yusei let out a sigh. "You're very stubborn, you know."

"Well, I never said that I wasn't."

"Yes, I'm aware... Then I'll just tag along with you so I can ensure that you don't get into any trouble."

"No, I'm fine, Yusei, really. I'm pretty sure that I'm capable of going to run a few errands by myself... You really don't have to babysit me."

"It isn't babysitting, Ashley, I'm just trying to protect you. And besides, I feel it would just be easier if I just fly you to where you need to go."

Ashley tensed up a bit. "No, it's fine. I prefer to walk, but thank you."

Yusei raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but—"

"I said I'm fine!" Ashley suddenly snapped.

There was a long silence between the two after Ashley's sudden outburst, until she finally spoke again, breaking the silence. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that, Yusei… It's just…I don't like to be in high places." She said, her gaze fixated on the ground while nervously fumbling with her fingers. "I, um…I really should get going. I'll be alright by myself, so please don't worry about me." And with that, Ashley turned and hurried off, leaving Yusei a bit confused.

Once the redhead was gone, Yusei let out another sigh. "She is very stubborn, that's for sure… I know I should follow her, but…I don't want to take advantage of her trust; she already seems quite distant as it is…"

_"You could always tail her from a distance."_

"I know, but I just said that I don't want to take advantage of her trust."

"_You could just tail her from a distance."_

Yusei paused for a moment. "I could, but…"

"_Just don't let her see you. It isn't that difficult, Yusei."_

The raven huffed a bit. "No need to criticize me, you know."

"_I was simply making a statement, nothing more. Just make sure she stays out of trouble."_

"Yes, yes, I know." Yusei brushed Him off, heading to try and tail Ashley from a distance.

However, when Ashley glanced back, her brows furrowed when she managed to notice Yusei tailing him, but kept a rather wide distance between them. _I told him that I would be fine, he really doesn't have to follow me… I don't want him to worry about me all the time. I know it's his job to watch over me, but it feels like someone is breathing down my neck with him lurking like that. I'll just have to lose him somehow._ Ashley thought before quickly rounding a corner.

Yusei perked up, quickly going after Ashley. He rounded the same corner the redhead did, continuing to tail her. Suddenly though, when Ashley rounded another corner, she quickly hid against the nearby wall. Now, when Yusei turned, he paused when he didn't see Ashley. Confused, Yusei gave a low sigh. "_Where did she run off to now? She was here just a second ago…_" He muttered, heading in the opposite direction of where Ashley was hiding.

Once Yusei was finally gone, Ashley got moving again. "It looks like I managed to lose him..." She said aloud.

_I know I shouldn't be doing this, going out by myself without Yusei, but...I don't want him to always have to babysit me like some little kid. Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad guy at all, but I do want to have some room to breathe every now and then. I don't know, maybe I'm making a mistake by doing thi—_

"Ashley, is that you?"

"Huh?" Ashley glanced up when someone called out to her, only to see a female with long, blonde hair and deep green eyes, just like her own. "Sherry?"

"Why, hello, Mademoiselle Ashley!" She grinned, eagerly running up to the redhead. "It certainly has been a while since I last saw you. How are you doing?"

"I'm getting by..." She replied, trying to not sound so down about it.

"Have you had any luck with finding a new heart yet?"

The redhead shook his head. "No, nothing yet, but the doctors are really trying to find a new heart for me. Though, I guess hearts aren't very easy to come by..."

"I see, but do not let it get you too down, okay? I am that sure you will find a new heart soon."

"But even if I do find a new heart, they said that the procedure could be dangerous given my current situation."

"Even so, you cannot give up. You know as well as I do that if you give up hope now, you will never be able to pull through this."

Ashley grinned at Sherry's words. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry... I've just been dealing with a lot lately."

Sherry waved it off. "No, no, I completely understand. Just know that I am here if you ever wish to talk, yes?"

Ashley nodded. "Alright. Thanks, Sherry."

"Not a problem, but I must be on my way now, unfortunately. I have to retrieve some more parts for my Duel Runner and perhaps stop by the card shop along the way, so we shall meet again, Ashley, dear. And try not to push yourself too hard, okay?"

She nodded again. "Okay, see ya around, Sherry."

"Take care of yourself, Ashley!" She then took off in the opposite direction.

Once Sherry was gone, Ashley placed a hand against her chest. _Sherry's right, I_ _shouldn't_ _give up hope just yet. I've still got time to change all of this. Right now though, I've got things to do._

Ashley went on with her errands, heading to different shops and finding various parts. Despite not being able to ride her own Duel Runner, Ashley still keeps up with it, and is trying to build different parts and things to help improve the machine further. Soon enough though, Ashley was just about finished with her errands when she noticed Sherry conveniently walking in the opposite direction of her, the redhead waving.

"Hey, Sherry." Ashley grinned.

Sherry smiled. "My, my, what are the chances that the two of us meet up twice in the same day, I wonder?"

Ashley gave a chuckle in response. "Dunno, kinda funny though."

"Yes, funny indeed."

_**Shatter!**_

"Huh?" Both girls glanced over upon hearing the sound of shattering glass.

"Ugh!?" Ashley then gasped when she noticed a few small demons holding shards of glass that were taken from a window they had broken, heading straight for them. "Sherry, watch out!" She exclaimed, shoving the blonde out of the way.

"Urgh!" Sherry grunted as she hit the ground.

"Aahh!" Ashley suddenly cried out in pain, dropping all the items in her arms.

Sherry pushed herself to sit up, but upon turning toward Ashley, she gasped. The redhead was covered in her own blood, scratches and large cuts all along her chest, stomach, left cheek, left arm, both of her upper thighs, and both of her hands. Sherry quickly scrambled to her feet and rushed over to Ashley, who was trying to wipe the blood from her face.

"O-ouch...!" Ashley cringed in pain.

"Oh my goodness, Ashley! You are all covered in blood!" Sherry exclaimed.

"I'll be okay, it's not that bad, right?" Ashley tried to brush it off.

"Are you out of your mind!? You are all cut up! Come, I shall take you to my home so that I may try and patch you up." She urged, pulling Ashley along.

"U-uh, okay, I guess..." Ashley reluctantly agreed.

Once the two got to Sherry's house, she cleaned all of Ashley's wounds before bandaging her up the best that she could. "Well, I suppose that should hold up for the time being, but I believe the ones on your chest might scar when they heal."

Ashley just nodded. "Thanks, Sherry, I appreciate it."

The blonde smiled. "Please, it was nothing, really." She waved it off. "Oh! I just remembered this one area I would really love to take you too, Ashley! You do not mind, do you?"

Ashley thought for a moment. "Well, I've already got all the parts I need... If I could just drop them off at my place, then sure, I could go. I mean, it's not like I'm doing much else today anyway."

Sherry gave a nod. "Very well then. Let us go drop those parts of yours off and then I will show you the place I was talking about, yes?"

The two made their agreement, heading to Ashley's place to drop off the parts she had gotten before Sherry wanted to take her to wherever it was she had mentioned earlier. Ashley seemed very confused as to where Sherry was taking her, but along the way, she was constantly keep an eye out for Yusei, trying to make sure that she wasn't still being followed by the fallen angel, so she wasn't really paying attention to where Sherry was taking her, including when they got on an elevator. However, when the two reached their destination, it finally dawned on Ashley to ask Sherry where she was being taken.

"Uh, Sherry, where exactly are you trying to take me?" Ashley then asked.

"Oh, just over here. Please, Mademoiselle Ashley, see for yourself!" She said excitedly, pulling the redhead along.

It was then Ashley froze, her entire body struck with nothing but fear. Her eyes widened upon the realization of where she was. "Sh-Sherry...? Wh-where exactly am I right now?" Ashley questioned fearfully, trying to keep her composure.

"Hm? Oh, just to the top of the New Domino Skyscraper. Why do you ask?" She replied, Ashley tensing up even more.

"Wh-why...?"

"The view from up here is simply the best, dear!" Sherry smiled.

Ashley just stood there, her body beginning to tremble. "P-please...can we go?"

"Go? But we just arrived up here. Why would you want to leave already?"

"I just...don't feel all that great right now."

"At least come see the view before we make our leave, Ashley." Sherry urged.

The redhead swallowed hard, hesitantly taking a step forward. Ashley slowly made her way over to the balcony railing, gripping onto the metal with her trembling hands. She then peered over the edge, but in that moment, Ashley just wanted to either faint or throw up. When she realized just how high up she was, her worst nightmare had been realized. You see, Ashley was deathly afraid of very high places, so taking her to the top of the New Domino Skyscraper wasn't exactly the smartest idea. However, before Ashley could get away from the railing, she felt something grab onto her wrist. Struck to the core with fear, Ashley slowly lowered her gaze, only for her eyes to widen when she saw the hand of a demon had grabbed onto her. Suddenly though, another hand appeared, then another, and another. Eventually, around forty to fifty arms had sprung up and grabbed Ashley, pulling her over the railing. Her whole world began to come crashing down hard in this single moment, but at the very last second, Ashley managed to reach out and grab onto the railing, though because her hands had been all cut up, all she felt was a stinging pain running through her fingers.

Sherry suddenly gasped, quickly leaning over the edge. "Ashley!" She exclaimed.

"Sh-Sherry... P-please...help." Was all Ashley could manage to say, her pained and trembling hands unable to hold her up much longer.

"H-hold on! I will go get help right away! Just try to hang on, Ashley!" Sherry then dashed off to try and find some sort of help.

Ashley, however, was cringing in pain. Her hands were seething from her cuts, making them weak and unable to hold her own weight as they began to slip from the railing. Tears filled Ashley's eyes as she watched her fingers slipping, and only one thought ran through her mind... _N-no... My hands... I can't...hold on...anymore. God, please... I don't...I don't wanna die!_

_**Creak!**_

"Ugh!" Ashley gasped when she heard the railing creak under her weight from having to hold on, and this was just the little push needed to make her hands finally slip off, beginning to fall from several hundred feet. "_**NOOOO!**_" She screamed. "Someone, _**HELP ME!**_"

Tears poured from Ashley's eyes, dripping from her face as the top of the tower began to grow smaller the closer she got to the ground. Was this really it? Was Ashley really going to die falling from a building, never knowing why she was so sick to begin with? Was this how she was going to die? Ashley was just about ready to except her fate of death, despite the tears streaming down her face, that is, until—

"Urgh!?" Ashley gasped when, out of nowhere, she stopped falling. "What...? I don't..." She then glanced back, her eyes widening when she saw the one and only Yusei Fudo behind her, managing to have caught Ashley and keeping her from hitting the ground, give or take, about a couple hundred feet from the top of the building. "No way... Why are you...?"

"You never do cease to get yourself into trouble, do you, Ashley?" Yusei said, sounding a bit annoyed. "Perhaps I _**should**_ just drop you, and maybe then you'll learn... After all, you did seem pretty intent on keeping me away all this time, so maybe..." Yusei's hold around Ashley's waist then began to loosen, the redhead's eyes widening.

"_**NO!**_" Ashley practically screamed, somehow managing to turn as Ashley threw her arms around Yusei's neck. "P-please! I-I'm sorry! I won't avoid you anymore! I'll stay by your side! I'll do whatever you want, just please, d-don't drop me! Please!" She begged.

Yusei could feel Ashley trembling violently, tears still pouring down her cheeks. She really was afraid of heights, that much Yusei could tell. The raven then sighed, wrapping his arms around Ashely. "Alright... Just hold onto me tightly, and don't let go until I tell you to, do you understand me?"

Ashley gave a quick nod, tightening her hold on the fallen angel. "Y-yes."

Yusei held onto Ashley as he then flew back down to the ground. Once his feet had touched down, he retracted his dark wings. "You can let go of me now, we're back on the ground." He said.

Ashley loosened her grip, but Yusei still held onto her, carrying the teen in a sort of bridal fashion. He could still feel Ashley trembling, which made the raven sigh. "Don't ever do something that reckless again, do you hear me? If you die, then the responsibility falls on me, and I don't want to have to clean up the mess every single time you decide to be careless."

Ashley just gave a shaky nod. "S-sorry..."

Yusei sighed again. "Let's just get you home..."

The redhead gave another shaky nod as Yusei went and decided to just take Ashley home, not trusting that she wouldn't get herself into trouble again...

_He sounds so cold, and yet, his arms are somehow…so gentle._


End file.
